- Fitness Zone: Seattle, Washington

MCKEE FOODS AND THE OUTDOOR HAPPINESS MOVEMENT BRING FITNESS ZONE TO SEATTLE Fun, accessible, social fitness environment to improve public health, well being

Collegedale, Tenn; Seattle, WA. — McKee Foods announces their partnership with The Trust for Public Lands and has committed resources to help bring several Fitness Zones® to life. The Trust for Public Land’s Fitness Zone® program establishes areas around Seattle that give residents access to sturdy, weather-resistant cardiovascular and weight-training machines. On Saturday, April 30, the Fitness Zone® in Powell Barnett Park will be publicly dedicated at 10 a.m.

In regards to the Fitness Zone® areas, Chris McKee, executive vice president of Marketing and Sales for McKee Foods, states, “Enjoy snacks, even ours, in moderation. But, when it comes to being active outside, we suggest immoderation. McKee Foods applauds this provision of fun, accessible, social fitness environments that empower people to get out, get active and improve their overall health and sense of well-being.”

“Research shows that parks — and The Trust for Public Land’s Fitness Zone® areas in particular— directly improve our health and wellness. Installing free outdoor fitness equipment in neighborhoods where gym memberships are too pricey to be practical empowers communities in the fight against obesity,” said Brenda McClymonds, The Trust for Public Land’s senior program director.

People interested in learning more about the movement can visit OutdoorHappinessMovement.com to hear about upcoming projects across the US. Visitors to the site can also make a pledge to go outside, have fun and find what makes them happy. For each person who takes the pledge, McKee Foods will donate additional funds above the $1 million goal.

About the OUTDOOR HAPPINESS MOVEMENT:
McKee Foods is committed to helping communities across the country enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle by partnering with organizations that make public greenways, trails and parks available. We believe that these green spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activity that ultimately lead to a fun and active lifestyle. McKee Foods, owned and operated by the McKee family, has committed to donate more than $1 million over the next five years in an initiative called the OH! — the Outdoor Happiness movement. The OH! — the Outdoor Happiness movement represents a long-standing tradition in the McKee family in that since 2009, it has given more than $2.8 million to support the creation and preservation of parks, greenways and other outdoor spaces. For more information, or to join McKee Foods in its mission to get the country outside, please visit OutdoorHappinessMovement.com.

About McKee Foods:
McKee Foods, a family bakery with annual sales of about $1.4 billion, is a privately held company based in Collegedale, Tenn. The McKee Foods story began during the height of the Great Depression when founder O.D. McKee began selling 5-cent snack cakes from the back of his car. Soon after, he and his wife, Ruth, bought a small, failing bakery, using the family car as collateral. Today, the company employs more than 5,750 people in Collegedale; Gentry, Ark.; Stuarts Draft, Va.; and Kingman, Ariz. It creates and produces Little Debbie® Snacks, Drake’s Cakes, Sunbelt Bakery® snacks and cereals, and Heartland® and Fieldstone™ Bakery food products. Visit McKeeFoods.com for more information.